Come Back to Us Like Sand in the Waves
by YenneferRosemary
Summary: Through certain circumstances, I series of messages in a bottle happened to come under my possession. A castaway forced back into a world she had long since escaped, finds herself writing to her loved ones about her goings ons. Whether or not she ever finds her way back home remains to be seen.
1. An Apology

8/21/38

Hey Everyone,

I messed up, huh? I should have been more careful but I wasn't. I should have listened to Adomric but I didn't. I should have been faster, I should have recognized him, I shouldn't have trusted him, I shouldn't have been so stupid.

Because I'm here. I'm not there. I'm here. In the middle of the Chultan Sea in a lifeboat with no land in sight. Wow I really screwed up didn't I? I hope everyone survived the shipwreck, I mean the Orek was close by so as long as everyone got to a lifeboat before it went down I think you'd be okay. I mean that's how I'm alive. At least for now. I mean I grabbed what I could. A waterskin and this journal if you're curious. I was sort of panicked at the time, though I guess me writing this is the only thing keeping me sane right now.

Maybe if I pray hard enough these will find their way home. I mean the adventurers are here, so the worlds still have to be connected somehow, there must be a Rip somewhere. Maybe Umberlee will be kind to me. Though I probably shouldn't waste her kindness on something as small as delivering a letter that probably won't ever make it to its destination. I'll still try though. I mean what's one last bit of hope to hold onto?

Anyways, I love all of you so, so much. I'll write again. Please don't miss me too much?

With all my heart,  
Cassidy

p.s. Legato, I'm so sorry. I'll make it back to you somehow, I promise.


	2. Surviving

8/22/38

Hello Again,

Still no land today, I've been rowing during the night, I'm glad I still recognize the stars. From what I remember, which isn't much, honestly, there was an island northeast of the Rip. I might be entirely wrong, but hey, at least I'll be headed in a direction instead of floating around aimlessly. Though I won't be making much progress today. Its overcast today, looks like we might get some rain. I hope it's just rain. I wouldn't survive a storm. Though honestly either way the fresh water would be appreciated, I've been rationing my water, but fuck am I thirsty.

Wow I'm thirsty. Really thirsty. Wow I really can't think of anything else. Except how hungry I am. Have I mentioned being stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean fucking sucks? I hate it. I hate everything. I hate this boat. I hate these rainclouds. I hate the ocean. I hate myself. Fuck I REALLY hate myself.

I miss home.

I miss the Twisted Branch.  
I miss Adomric.

I miss everyone.

Fuck at this point I'd be happy even to see Helgrid again.

I miss you, Legato. Gods you tried to reach for me, I saw you lose your fingertips. Are you okay? Brooke didn't try to hurt you, did he? I mean why would he? He had already won. He got what he wanted. Nothing could make me suffer more than being apart from you. This is payment for what happened to the Stormbringer. There's no way it wasn't. I led my crew to their deaths, and my first mate survived and sought revenge.

No, he wouldn't have hurt you. Me believing you're alive and well and missing me until you eventually move on is probably the worst thing about all of this. He would have kept you alive.

Shit. Its starting to rain. Fucking finally. I'll write again soon. I love you all so fucking much.

Cassidy


	3. The Introduction of Theodore Keller

8/29/38

Hey everyone,  
I'm sorry I haven't written for a while. I'm still alive, so that's something. After my second letter I was too exhausted to write, and then after that I was too busy.  
I guess I should tell you what's happened so far. My life boat washed up on some deserted island in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully one of the locals, the only local actually, took me in and got me some food and water. I won't say he nursed me back to health. I'm sure he'd take full offense to that.

His name is Theodore Keller, or so he so claims, but then again who even uses their true names anymore? He's a draconic sorcerer, super powerful. Actually, he's from Capsicum, can you believe that? I fall back into Faerun and then immediately into the lap of the only other person from Capsicum, aside from the adventurers. I wonder how they're doing… But he knows how to chase down Rips, so that's what we're working on doing. I don't know if it'll work, but I guess we'll find out right?  
Oh, another thing I found out. Apparently time moves differently in Faerun as it does in Capsicum. For every year in Capsicum, Faerun has roughly five. So I guess you'll be seeing me a lot sooner than I'll be seeing you. So that's good news. Maybe I'll be able to find a way home in time for Adomric's wedding… Shit I still have to write my speech. Not right now though, I'd probably end up crying. Wow I miss you guys.

Legato, I hope everything on your ship is well. How are your fingers? You're probably really upset about what happened, but I promise I'll be in your arms as soon as possible, just wait for me, okay?

with love,

Cassidy


	4. A Love Letter

8/30/38

To my storm,

There isn't a waking hour where I don't think about you. Your lightning rod horns, your coal black skin and hair so soft against my lips, your tail and ears and how they wiggle whenever I tell you how you're so incredibly irreplaceable to me. I love your scars, even the ones that are my fault. I love your tattoo, a red dragon curled up over your heart. I love every bit of you because every part of it is you.

I dreamt of you the other night, last night. Well more this morning, I didn't sleep last night, I have a hard time sleeping nowadays. I dreamt of you drunk out of your mind, missing me. Obviously it was just a dream, but seeing you even for that moment, it hurt more than I could explain, but it felt so good. I would give anything to hold you again, just for our fingers to touch one last time. Was it selfish of me that I felt so much relief seeing you miss me?  
I wonder if you've dreamed of me? I wonder if I look as hot as you try to convince me I am in your dreams. I bet dream me is hot. Fuck I miss you. Have I said that enough yet? I'll keep saying it until it's no longer true.

I miss you.

I miss you.

I miss you.

My heart is entirely yours, Legato Kenis, I hope your dragon guards it well.

Cassidy


	5. Another Companion

9/1/38

Dear friends,

Apparently we have a new companion joining us. His name is Rococo Bastardson. Devilishly handsome, half-orc, bard, yum. It's almost a shame that my heart isn't in Faerun. But, it doesn't matter anyways, apparently Teddy has already staked his claim (but from the sounds of it, he was the one that got staked).  
From my understanding of what's been said to me, Theodore told Roco, during said staking, about Capsicum. Since obviously none of you have ever been to Faerun, let me put it lightly. Take everything you know about race relations and magic and all that glorious culture and stuff we all know and love, jump back about two millennia. Tieflings aren't their own people, they're people born by devil's blood, and are treated as such. There's more humans than I could care to shake a stick at. And orcs are ravagers, traveling in bands and pillaging whatever is unlucky enough to happen be on their war path. Thusly, half-orcs are treated like dirt with a hairpin trigger because, "let's face it, they're half monster" is the most common thought among the populous. It's pretty easy to understand why Roco would be fed up with that sort of shit, though I honestly don't know how in the world Theodore was able to convince his to join us on our goose chase. It must have been one hell of a staking.

Nevertheless, he's with us now, which I'm not going to complain too much about, but I swear to the divines if they try to shove me off of the one singular bed on this boat I will mutiny. I'm the navigator of this ship, I'm not sleeping on a bedroll, even if it means having to be sandwiched between two handsome men.

Theodore sensed a magical force to the south of us. It isn't a Rip, unfortunately, its on the move, towards one of the fishing villages we had stopped at a few nights before, so we're head back that way, to check to make sure everything is okay, and help as much as we can if it isn't. I honestly don't know how much help I'll be, I did a small assessment of myself the other day and I'm basically back to the same power level I was ten years ago when I passed through a Rip for the first time into Capsicum. I suppose going through the Rip changes you. I wonder what sort of state that left the adventurers in… I hope they're alright.

I'll inform you of the outcome of the town in another letter, per say it isn't so bad that I die or some horrific thing like that. The Death Curse is still 100% a thing we still have to worry about.

With love,

Cassidy


	6. A Little Bit of Selfishness

9/3/38

Hey Everyone,

It was a dragon. An ancient white dragon just shooting the breeze. Theodore nearly got himself killed trying to fight it, but it bought them all a little time to escape, which I guess is technically a win. The entire town was razed. I spend nearly all of the last two days helping pull people, and bodies, out of the rubble. It was… horrific.

Fortunately there was an Order of the Gauntlet camp not too far away, they'll be able to supply more aid than we ever could. But that doesn't change the fact that these people's lives have been turned absolutely upside down. It will probably take years for them to get back to where they were, though it won't replace their dead loved ones.

I wish I was powerful like Theodore. I want to track down this beast and give it what it deserves. But I'm weak. I can barely take care of myself most days. I mean Theodore and Rococo are nice and all, but they're not my family like you guys are. Neither one of them is Adomric, or Tact, or Digali, or Legato, or so on. I mean sometimes they're similar, like Theodore is a fucking idiot, so that's sorta like Helgrid. I kid, Theodore isn't as big an idiot as Helgrid is, no one could be.

I wonder how much longer until we find a rip. As the days go by I fear that I'm starting to realize just how great the odds actually are. But I have to hope, right? Where would I be without it? Probably dead in some ditch most likely. I pray we find a Rip soon.

Anyways, I hope everything in Capsicum is going well. Have you guys started to move on yet? I probably hasn't even been a week for you, so probably not. Is it selfish to wish you never do?

With all my heart,

Cassidy


	7. A Letter for Tact

9/12/38

Dear Tact,

I hope everything has been going okay. I know how much you relied on me. You know how much you meant to me. You have to stay strong okay?

I wish Helgrid was there for you, but more than likely she's not, so you'll have to find another way. Talk to Goji, he seems pretty quiet, but Legato told me he's actually really nice, and I'm sure you've also seen that with how he handles Peaches. How is that little ankle biter anyways? I'm sure she's as big a handful as she always is.

I miss you terribly, I miss everyone terribly, but we had each others backs right? I don't regret the time we spent together, I hope you don't either. I honestly do hope everything with Helgrid works out, you know? I know it doesn't seem like it sometimes, but if Helgrid makes you happy, let yourself be happy. You just have to stay strong, okay? I may not be there, but we have to be strong for each other, yeah?

Love,  
Cassidy


	8. An Announcement

9/24/38

Hey,

So, uh, I don't know how to put this. According to your estimation of everything, its just been a week for you guys. I wish I could say the same for me, it's been five weeks, and it's been hell. I miss Hazelwood, I miss Adomric, I miss Tact, I miss Legato and I'm… oh gods. Legato… I'm so sorry. I'm. I can't even write it, what's wrong with me?

I'm pregnant? I'm so sorry. I had my birth control tattoo back it Capsicum, but I suppose it's like any other sort of magic, it didn't transfer over and I'm pregnant. I'm alone, I'm in Faerun, and I'm pregnant. What am I saying… I'm not alone, I have Theodore, and Rococo too, but I'm not there, and that's what matters. I don't know what to do, I don't want to have this child alone, I want you here with me Legato, but the thought of even getting rid of it is… sickening. This is my last tie to home, I could never do that.

Theodore promised to help me, to make sure I'm taken care of, which I appreciate. Faerun isn't has medically advanced as Capsicum, the chances of this going poorly are… high… so I suppose I should just let him take care of it. I don't want to feel like a burden, but I guess I don't have much of a choice.  
I wish I could actually tell you all this, instead of just pretending. Theodore suggested sending a message in a bottle, but what are even the chances it would actually find a Rip, travel through said Rip, and end up finding Hazelwood? Probably a one in a thousand's chance. I still might, just because I can't think of what else to do.  
Legato, I so sorry. I wish you were here for this, I had always imagined us getting married, settling down in the loosest sense of the term, and eventually maybe having kids. I want to be there with you. I don't want our child to not know you. The possibility of me returning home before they're born are most likely astronomical, and honestly the thought of what traveling through the Rip might do to them is… worrisome. I don't know if I should risk it. Maybe I should just wait it out, it's only another thirty-five weeks, that's only seven weeks for you, that isn't too bad, right? Right? Oh gods, how long can I stand to be away? I was only in Capsicum for ten years, and fifty passed in Faerun. I don't want that. I originally had plans if I was here for more than five years, but I can't do that now if I have a child. Do I just… give up? I don't know… I really don't know… I'll have to figure these things out when I'm not overly emotional.

I love you with all my heart, all of you. I'll find my way back. I'll figure it out.

Love,

Cassidy


End file.
